Canadian Silver 50 Cent Coins

The Canadian silver 50 cent coin is more commonly known as the fifty-cent piece or half dollar. Although it is minted on a regular basis, large quantities of this coin are not produced. Annual production averages approximately 450,000.

As is the case with the U.S. fifty cent piece, it is not commonly found in every day transactions. This is probably because most Canadians believe the coin is rare and has a value beyond that of 50 cents.

Many editions of this coin have been produced. A silver 50 cent coin that bore the effigy of King Edward VII was struck by Governor General Earl Gray on January 2, 1908, during the opening ceremonies celebrating the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint. It was the first domestically minted coin of the Dominion of Canada.

Demand for the Canadian 50 cent piece was very light during the mid-twenties. Between 1921 and 1929 just 28,000 coins were issued. When greater demand for the coin arose in 1929 the entire stock of the coins minted during the years of 1920 and 1921 were melted by the Ottawa Mint.

The reason for the meltage was the mint believed that issuing a large number of coins with these dates would lead to suspicion of counterfeiting by the general public. A total of 480,392 coins were melted. Only about 75 of the 1921 dated coins are believed to have survived and are valued at over $125,000 in pristine condition.

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